Skin Diseases DBQ explained

What this DBQ covers

The skin diseases questionnaire records diagnosis, treatment, examination findings and condition-specific features. It distinguishes the skin disorder itself from scarring or disfigurement that may also need documentation. Treatment details matter because the name of a medicine, its route and the length of use describe different aspects of care. The clinician should use the form's instructions when recording the relevant treatment history.

The important sections, explained

Treatment over the requested period

The treatment section asks about medication and other care during specified periods, including the past twelve months. The name, route and duration of treatment can matter to understanding the history. A cream used on the skin and a medicine taken by mouth are not the same treatment description. Bring prescription details and identify periods when a medicine changed or stopped under medical guidance. Let the clinician classify the treatment using the form's instructions.

Read the official form: page 3

When the skin looks different on exam day

The physical-examination section addresses the affected skin and includes a question about conditions without visible characteristic lesions at the examination. If the condition comes and goes, explain that pattern and provide dated records or photographs when available. Tell the clinician which body areas are involved and how long episodes last. Estimating the percentage of body surface involved is part of the clinical assessment; you do not need to calculate a percentage yourself.

Read the official form: page 6

How to prepare useful information

A quiet examination day may not show the pattern you experience during a flare. Explain how often episodes occur, where they appear and how long they last. Dated photographs and treatment notes can support that history when available. Provide the actual medication names and dates rather than describing all treatment as a cream or a steroid; do not change treatment to make symptoms visible.

Records to gather

Start with records you already have. Bring the relevant information to your clinician and explain any gaps or uncertain dates.

• Dermatology notes and dated photographs that show the areas affected during episodes.
• Medication names, routes, start and stop dates, and other documented treatment.
• Records of scarring, disfigurement or functional problems associated with the skin condition.

A detail that is easy to miss

A medication name without its route or duration can leave an important gap. Check whether the record shows how it was used and for how long. Avoid combining several separate flare photographs into a description of one continuous outbreak. If symptoms changed after treatment, describe the before-and-after periods clearly rather than leaving the clinician to infer them.

Find your way around the official form

These section headings come from the linked VA PDF. Each link opens the page where the section begins. Read the form's own instructions for the full questions and any required attachments.

1. SECTION I - DIAGNOSISPage 2
2. SECTION II - MEDICAL HISTORYPage 3
3. SECTION III - TREATMENTPage 3
4. SECTION IV - PHYSICAL EXAMPage 6
5. SECTION V - SPECIFIC SKIN CONDITIONSPage 7
6. SECTION VI - TUMORS AND NEOPLASMSPage 9
7. SECTION VII - SCARRING AND DISFIGUREMENTPage 10
8. SECTION VIII - OTHER PERTINENT PHYSICAL FINDINGS, COMPLICATIONS, CONDITIONS, SIGNS AND/OR SYMPTOMSPage 11
9. SECTION IX - FUNCTIONAL IMPACTPage 11
10. SECTION X - REMARKSPage 12
11. SECTION XI - EXAMINER'S CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATUREPage 12

Who completes the clinical sections?

The healthcare provider completes the clinical assessment, identifies the records reviewed, and signs the questionnaire. You can gather records and describe symptoms and daily limitations. Measurements, diagnoses, and clinical conclusions belong to the examiner.

Check the official form's instructions with your provider before the appointment, including any examination or testing requirements. VA does not pay or reimburse the costs of having a private DBQ completed or submitted.

A completed DBQ can help document the medical condition. Whether it also answers a particular service-connection question depends on its content and the other evidence. VA may verify the form or request another examination.

Common questions

What if my skin is clearer on the examination day?

Describe the usual pattern and provide dated records or photographs when available. Identify when each image was taken and what treatment you were using. The clinician can consider the history alongside the current examination. Do not try to trigger a flare or stop prescribed treatment for the appointment.

Should I stop treatment so the rash is visible?

No. Continue following your clinician's treatment instructions. Explain how the condition varies and bring relevant dated evidence of earlier episodes. The questionnaire provides room to document history when the examination does not show the full pattern you have experienced.

Are scars documented on this form too?

This form includes a scarring and disfigurement section. A separate scars questionnaire may provide the detailed findings when appropriate. Tell the clinician about lasting scars as well as the active skin condition so those are considered as distinct findings.